Multiple sources reported that one of those held inside the information ministry was the daughter of Issaias, who has ruled the Horn of Africa nation with an iron grip from independence in 1993, following an epic 30-year liberation war from neighbouring Ethiopia.

Kidane said that those that took part in this operation were not senior personnel, but young people fed up with the situation in the country.

"These were not army officers, these were young soldiers - new recruits and those who were forced into the army," she said.

"Instead of young people fleeing the country and is in the past, they are now standing up and acting."

Awate claimed the mutineers were led by an army commander called SalehOsman, a hero of the bloody 1998-2000 border war with Ethiopia, when he refused orders to abandon the key southern port of Assab, defending it and beating back invading Ethiopians.

"The 'uprising' appears to have been a case of SalehOsman trying to jolt back negotiations for democratisation he had been having with the president's office that have stalled," Awate added.

The UN last year estimated that 5,000-10,000 political prisoners were being held in the country, which is accused by human rights groups of carrying out torture and summary executions.

The Red Sea state, which declared independence from Ethiopia after a long war, is one of the most opaque countries on the continent.

Eritrean opposition activists exiled in neighbouring Ethiopia said there was growing dissent within the Eritrean military, especially over economic hardships.

"Economic issues have worsened and have worsened relations between the government and soldiers in the past few weeks and months," one activist said.

The UN Security Council imposed an embargo on Eritrea in 2009 over concerns its government was funding and arming al-Shabab rebels in neighbouring Somalia - charges Eritrea denied.